Switch



April 9, 1929. y L. P. BOLL. ET AL 1,708,077

SWITCH Filed Oct. 17. 1927 Patented Apr. 9, 1929.

UNITED ATES wenn PATENT OFFICE.

LESTER PIERCE BOLL, OE MATLEWOOD, AND ARNOLD CLEMENT HANSEN, JR., or ST.LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSTGNORS To w. N. MATTHEWS CORPORATION, or ST. LOUIS,MISSOURI, A CORPORATION or MISSOURI.

SWITCH.

Application led October 17, 1927. Serial No. 226,554.

This invention relates to switches and with A removable hinge-pin 21 isused for hinging regard to certain more specific features, to

fuse switches of the type wherein a f fuse cartridge is carried On thedoor of the switch box.

Among the several objects of the invention, may be noted the provisionof a fuse switch in which the cartridge is carried on the door in suchmanner that an expulsive action 1s had upon blowing of the fuse, so asto eject burned gases and the like from and not into the switch box; andthe provision of simple and rugged means for accomplishing the aboveends. Other objects will be In part obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combination ofelements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which willbe exemplified in the structure hereinafter described, and the scopeoit' the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

1n the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated one of variouspossible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the switch box, parts being shown infull; o

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View, parts being shown in section; and

Fig. 3 is a Jiront elevation.

Corresponding reference characters indi cate corresponding partsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1. there is illustrated atnumeral 1 a preferably one-piece, porcelain or other insulating boxequipped with an external support 3 and upper and lower line terminals 5and 7 respectively positioned next to upper and lower inlet passages 9and 11 respectively. The passages are adapted to receive suitable linewires which are fastenedto the terminls 5 and 7 The line wires are notshown.

The line terminals 5 and 7 are fastened to the box 1 in electricalcombination with pairs of spring,`termina1 clips 13 and 14 respectively.The terminal clips extend forwardly into the box 1.

The front of the box 1 is provided with a preferably one-piece,porcelain or other insulating door 17 formed Hush with the front ofsaidbox and hinged to said box at a lower recess in the bottom 23 of thebox, substantially equal in depth tothe depth of the door.`

the door on the box. A flange 25 around the edge of the door fittinginto a recess therefor in the box, serves to limit the closing movementof the door to a predetermined amount and to protect the interior of thebox from the elements. y

rlhe bottom 23 of the box is provided with an opening or recess 27serving purposes hereinafter to be described.

The door 17 has formed thereon, upper and lowercradle supports 29 and 31respectively, the lower support 31 having formed therewith downwardlyextending walls 33. The walls 33 preferably have a cradle-like contourat their upper edges, similar to the contour of Said supports 29 and 3l.

Between said supports 29 and 31 is located a third support 85 for thepurpose of mount- Ing a hinging spring clip 37. The purpose of this clip37 is to removably hold a fuse cartridge F in supported position on saidsupports 29 and 31. rlhe cartridge F, per se, preferably comprises aninsulating tube 39 carrying arcctangularly shaped lower terminalengaging velement 41 (through which the tube passes) and an upperenclosing terminal engaging element 48, said element 43 serving also asan enclosing cap.

Suitable holding means 45 for a fuse link 47 are provided in said upperterminal engaging element 43. The fuse link 47 passes downwardly throughthe tube to a hairpin turn 49 and then re-ascends` outside the tube tosaid lower terminal engaging element 41 where it is held in position bya screw clamp 51.

It will be noted that the fuse link has one long leg 53 positionedwithin the tube 39 and a short leg 55 positioned outside of said tube.It will also be observed that the short leg 55 is in effect positionedwithin a second tubular portion 57 formed by the door 17 the downwardlyextending Walls 33 and the tube 39 of the cartridge.

In order to facilitate positioning of the cartridge, the upper side ofthe support 31 is formed as a pocket 58 to substanatially fit therectangular contour of the lower terminal engaging clement 41.Furthermore, the upper support 29 is so position as to snugly titbeneath the .upper terminal-engaging element 43. ln this manner, thereplacement or application of a fuse cartridge l@ is made an operationof simple routine.

All that is necessary vis to unclip the previous supported cartridge byrotating the clip 37, drop t-he new one into position, and return theclip to holding position on the replaced cartridge.

The fuse cartridge F, by the 111c11ns described, is held to the door 17in such a relative position that its lower open end or mouth 59 ispositioned so to blow out of the fuse box when the fuse link breaks downunder excessive load. This is accomplished preferably by placing thelower edge of the tube below the inside iioor line 61 of the box andwithin or below said opening 27.

The result is that the fuse link, which has a restricted portion at itsupper end in the region indicated by numeral 63, upon breaking down,burns from top to bottom, thereby ejecting gas and flame downwardly outthe lower end of the tube 39. rlhe ejecting gases passing through theopening 27 induce a downward current of air from the interior of the box(through the opening 27 and passage 57) which, when the fuse arc reachesthe hairpin turn 49, tends to extinguish said arc and prevent furtherburning of the fuse up and into said passage 57. The elongated andrestricted passage 57 tends to increase the velocity of the airtherethrough in accordance with the laws of the flow of iuids, therebyenhancing the safety action of this device. If the are is notextinguished at the turn 49, the downward flow in passage 57 directsflame and the like out of the box as the fuse burns up the short leg 55.

It will be seen that with this switch maximum distance between fuseterminals is attained with minimum danger of incurring an explosive fuseaction withinrthe box itself. Also, the improved effect is accomplishedwith a, minimum number of parts.

It should be noted that in the present embodiment the spring clip 37 ispositioned at a lower elevation than the uppermost point of the lineterminal 7. The reason for this is that maximum Hash-over distancebetween line terminals is attained. lf the clip 37 were placed at someelevation above the lower ter minal 7 and below the upper terminal 5,the flash-over distance would be reduced, because the current could morereadily jump from one terminal to the clip 37 and thence to the otherterminal.

Itis to be understood that elements such as the supports 29,31, 35 andwalls 33, may be fastened to the door 17 as separate pieces or inseparate combinations.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are Vachieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructionswithout departing from the scope of the invention, it is inf tended thatall matter contained in the above nrcan?? description or shown in theVaccompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrativo and not in alimiting sense.

qWe claim:

1. A switch comprising a box, line terminals within the box, a doorengaging the box adapted to open and close, a tubular fuse cartridgesupported on said door having a closed upper terminal engaging element,a lower terminal engaging element, a fuse passing through the cartridgeto connect said e f1- gaging elements and having one portion thereofpositioned outside of the cartridge in an enclosed portion formed byportions on said door and said cartridge.

2. A switch comprising a box carrying line terminals therein, a door forthe box carrying a fuse cartridge, said cartridge having terminalengaging elements, a tube joining said engaging elements and having anopen lower end, a fuse connecting the engaging elements having oneportion in the tube and an external portion outside of the tube, saidexternal portion being surrounded by a portion compos ing said tube anda portion associated with said door.

3. A switch comprising a box carrying line terminals therein, a door forthe box carrying a fuse cartridge, said cartridge having terminalengaging elements, a tube joining said engaging elements and having anopen lower end, a fuse connecting the engaging elements having oneportion in the tube and an external portion outside of the tube, saidexternal portion being surrounded by a por- 109 tion composing said tubeand a portion associated with said door and an opening in said boxadapted to permit ejection of gases.

4. A switch comprising a box and a movable door therefor, said doorcarrying a tubular cartridge adapted to make electrical connectionswithin the box, a bent fuse having one portion within the cartridge anda second portion externally thereof, said external portion beingsubstantially surrounded by a por- 110 tion of the cartridge and aportion associated with said door.

5. A switch comprising a box and a movable door therefor, said doorcarrying a tubular cartridge adapted to make electrical connec-tionswit-hin the box, a fuse having one portion within the cartridge and asecond p ortion externally thereof, said external portion beingsubstantially surrounded by a portion of the cartridge and a portionassociated 129 with said door.

' 6. A switch comprising a box and a movable door therefor, said doorcarrying a tubular cartridge adapted to make electrical connectionswithin the box, a bent fuse joining 'said electrical connections havingone portion within the cartridge and a second portion externallythereof, said external portion being substantially surrounded by aportion of the cartridge and a portion associated im with said door andan opening between the portion being formed by engagement between boxand said door through which-ejections the cartridge and the support. 10from said cartridge and material from said In testimony whereof, we-havesigned our surrounding portion are adapted to pass. names to thisspecification this 14th day of 7. A support for fuse cartridges havingOctober, 1927. fuses with. at least one internal leg and one l externalleg, comprising an enclosed portion LESTER PIERCE BOLL. surrounding saidexternal leg, said enclosed ARNOLD CLEMENT HANSEN, JR.

